Newbury’s eight-race card looks to be the pick of Saturday’s horse racing action in Britain and Racing Post tipster Graeme Rodway has given us his thoughts on each of the contests.
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1.25 Newbury – Mildmay Farm & Stud Nursery Handicap
This nursery might not be as open as it first looks and Global Wisdom is a confident selection. The gelded son of No Nay Never was impressive when beating hot favourite Buoyant at Yarmouth last month and the front two pulled clear of a subsequent winner in third. Global Wisdom is up 7lb in the weights but is still lightly raced and open to plenty of further improvement after just four starts. He should be too progressive for these rivals.
Selection: Global Wisdom
2.00 Newbury – Virgin Bet Horris Hill Stakes
Noble Truth and Hoo Ya Mal finished first and second in a hot Listed race at Doncaster last month and the winner went on to be placed in Group 1 company. They set the standard but aren’t that far ahead of Dubai Poet on Racing Post Ratings and he might be able to cause an upset. Roger Varian’s runners tend to go well on heavy ground at the backend of the season and Dubai Poet stayed on well behind Coroebus in a Newmarket Group 3 last time.
Selection: Dubai Poet
2.35 Newbury – Virgin Bet St Simon Stakes
It’s hard to see past the improving three-year-old Siskany, who was second in a hot race at Glorious Goodwood in the summer and returned from a two-month break to win a fine-looking three-year-old handicap at Newmarket a couple of weeks ago. The Charlie Appleby-trained gelding is well suited by testing ground and should have too much for these older rivals.
Selection: Siskany
3.10 Newbury – Galloping To Give 10 Years With A Transplant Stakes
This is another race where the favourite looks good. Jumbly won her first two starts and produced her best effort in defeat when fourth in the Group 2 Rockfel at Newmarket last time. The second and third have both been placed in Group 1 company since and Jumbly drops into a Listed race here. She should prove a class apart, provided she handles the ground, and that shouldn’t be a problem. Trainer Roger Charlton’s runners act on testing conditions.
Selection: Jumbly
3.45 Newbury – Conundrum Consulting EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (Div I)
Cave Diver will probably be a short price to follow up her victory at Nottingham but she has to carry a penalty and got the run of the race when winning last time. It’s worth taking her on and maybe the Roger Charlton-trained newcomer Albion Princess could spring a surprise. There is plenty of stamina in her pedigree and a mile on testing conditions might suit, especially as her dam Langlauf ran one of her better races on very soft ground in France.
Selection: Albion Princess
4.15 Newbury – Conundrum Consulting EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes (Div II)
Aiming High (seventh) and Queenlet (ninth) contested the same race at Newmarket last time and showed promise, but the one runner to have competed since from that contest was well beaten next time and Baroque Star might have the better form. She was only seventh on her debut but finished third fastest and was just one place behind a subsequent winner. There should be some improvement to come with that under her belt and she makes plenty of appeal.
Selection: Baroque Star
4.50 Newbury – Horris Hill School Handicap
This doesn’t look a strong race and Roger Charlton might again be the man to follow, this time with the lightly raced One Journey. This daughter of Mastercraftsman had some useful form in Listed company over course and distance in the summer and she returned from a break to record a solid sixth of 18 on her handicap debut at York two weeks ago. She is entitled to improve for that first run since June and might be a step ahead of the assessor.
Selection: One Journey
5.25 Newbury – Virgin Bet Amateur Jockeys’ Handicap
A low-grade race to end the card and maybe Frozen Waters can spring a surprise. He has been well beaten on his last two starts on the all-weather, but had shown promise on turf in the summer and now competes off a career-low mark on his favoured surface. His sire No Nay Never’s progeny usually handle cut in the ground and Frozen Waters is no forlorn hope.
Selection: Frozen Waters
*All odds correct at time of writing.